Locking device for bolt action rifles



Aug. 20, 1957 J. T. H ElLMAN LOCKING DEVICE FOR BOLT ACTION RIFLESFi'led se t '7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 John I Hei/r nan INVENTOR.

. I I BY an! Aug. 20, 1957 r J. T. HEILMAN 2,803,079

1 LOCKING DEVICE FOR BOLT ACTION RIFLES Filed Sept. '7, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 2 John 7'. Hei/man INVENTOR.

nited States Patent ()fifice 2,83fi79 Patented Aug. 20, 195 7 T hisinvention generally relates to improved and novel construction in riflesand similar firearms, and especially provides a locking device for moresecurely retaining rifle bolts for more effectively locking the bolt inpositionl v j r In the construction of bolt action rifles and especiallythose of small caliber, the bolt head sometimes permits escape of gasesdue to compression of the elongated bolt since the bolt is normallylocked at its rear end. Accordingly, it is the primary object of thepresent invenfloats provide an improved and novel locking device forbolt action rifles wherein the bolt will be locked at a point adjacentits forward end, thereby retaining the bolt headlin a position moreclosely adjacent the breech of the" rifle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a locking devicefor a bolt action rifle including in its construction a non-rotatablebolt having a non-turning bolt head thereon together with a rotatingsleeve sur rounding a major portion of the bolt and including a lockinglug for engagement be hindja projecting lug on the bolt head forretaining the bolt head closely adjacent the breech of the rifle.

Other important objects of the present invention will reside in itssimplicity of construction, easeof operation, effectiveness for itsparticular purpose, and its relatively inexpensive manufacturing cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the ac cor'n'panying drawings forming a part hereof,wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved locking device of thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the receiver utilized in the presentinvention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the sleeve illustrating theconstruction of the locking lug and the handle thereon;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the locking bolt with the bolt headthereon together with the projecting lug on the bolt head;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the improved locking device ofthe present invention with the bolt head in locked position;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the construction of Figure 5 illustrating therelationship of the elements of the invention;

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the locking device of the presentinvention illustrating the sleeve and bolt in retracted position;

Figure 8 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substantiallyupon a plane passing along section line 88 of Figure 7 illustrating therelationship of the locking lug and slot in the bridge of the receiver;and

Figure 9 is a sectional view similar to Figure 8 of a modified form ofthe invention wherein the locking lug does not project beyond theconfines of the receiver, thereby forming a sturdier device.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 10 generallydesignates the locking device for bolt action rifles of the presentinvention which includes a generally elongated tubular cylindricalreceiver 12 having a receiver ring 14 integrally formed at the forwardend thereof and a receiver bridge 16 integrally formed at the rearthereof, all of which are of unitary construction and provided with alongitudinal passage 18 therethrough and an enlarged arcuate openingdefined by lonf gitudinal edges 20 and arcuate end edges 22 which aresubstantially in the center of the receiver 12. The bridge 1 6 of thereceiver 12 is provided with a longitudinal slot 24 in the upper portionthereof which communicates the enlarged opening with the rear end of thereceiver 12. The receiver ring 14 is provided with a forwardly extendingnotch 26 having the outer edge thereof in alignment with onelongitudinal edge 20' of the enlarged opening in the receiver 12 and theother edge spaced therefrom. Extending rcarwardly from the bridge 16 ofthe receiver 12 is a channel-shaped guide member 28. W

Slidably and rotatably mounted in the receiver 12 is an elongatedcylindrical tubular sleeve 30 substantially equal in size to the size ofthe longitudinal bore 18 in the receiver 12. Adjacent the rear of thetubular sleeve 30 is a projecting rectangular boss 32 having a laterallyprojecting handle 34 thereon which is slightly angulated andrprovidedwith a knob 36 on the outer free end thereof for pivoting and slidingthe tubular sleeve 30 in relation to the receiver 12. Projecting fromthe forward end of the tubular sleeve 36 is an elongated longitudinallocking lug 38 which extends from the'forward end of the sleeve 30towards the rear thereof. The locking lug 38 is substantially the samewidth as the slot 24 in the bridge 16 of the receiver 12 for slidingmovement there; in. Also, the length of the locking lug 38 issubstantially equal to the length of the side edges 20 of the enlargedopening in the receiver 12 for arcuate movement therein, wherein thelocking lug 38 may be aligned with the slot 24 for reciprocation of thesleeve 30, and after the sleeve 30 has been moved forwardly to itsforward limit, the sleeve 36 may be pivoted by moving the handle 3%downwardly, thereby misaligning the locking lug 38 with the slot 24 forlocking the sleeve 30 in its forwardrndst position. v."l'h'e distancebetween the boss 32 and the rear end of the lug 38' is' substantiallyequal to the length of the bridge portion 16, therebypermittingnib'vement of the handle 34 in pivotal relation to the rearend of the bridge portion 16 of the receiver 12. The sleeve 30 also isprovided with a cylindrical longitudinal bore 40 extending completelytherethrough, and the forward end of the sleeve 30 terminates rearwardlyof the ring 14.

An elongated cylindrical bolt 4-2 is mounted within the longitudinalbore 40 of the sleeve 36D and includes a cylindrical bolt head 44 at itsforward end wherein the bolt head 44 is provided with a projecting lug46 thereon which is longitudinally elongated and is substantially equalin length to the bolt head 44. The bolt 42 is also provided with a smallbore 48 for receiving the firing pin together with a small longitudinalbore 50 for receiving the extractor mechanism, the details of which arenot shown.

Adjacent the rear of the bolt 42 is provided an arcuate groove 52 forreceiving the inner end of a setscrew 54 threaded through the sleeve 30and having the inner end thereof extending into the arcuate groove 52.As illustrated, firing mechanism 56 is provided at the rear of the bolt42 within sleeve 30.

As illustrated in Figure 9, the receiver 12 completely encloses thesleeve 30 and the locking lug 38' thereon of the notch 26.

6 d together with the locking lug 44' positioned on the bolt 42'. y

In practical use of the locking device of the present invention, thedevice may be unlocked from the position illustrated'in Figure bygrasping the handle 34 and pivoting it'upwardly so that the locking lug38 will move arcuately from the position in alignment with the lug 46into a position in alignment with the slot 24. Inasmuch as the lug 46 isdisposed in the notch 26, the bolt 42 and the bolt head 44 will notrotate during this movement. .As soon as the locking lug 38 isinalignment with theslot 24, the sleeve 30 and the bolt 42 may beretracted to the position illustrated in Figure 7 for extractingthecartridge from the breech of the rifle. Inasmuch as there is notorque exerted upon the bolt 42 during retraction thereof, the bolt 42will not rotate and the lug-46 will be retained against the edge of theenlarged opening which is in alignment with one edge After the bolt hasbeen unlocked, the new cartridge may be locked in the breech by exertingforward'pressure on the handle 34 which will move the lug 46 into thenotch 26 and move the locking lug 38 within the confines of the ends 22of the enlarged opening in the receiver 12. This permits downwardpivotal movement of the handle 34, thereby bringing the locking lug 38into alignment and into engagement with the rear end of thelug 46,thereby securely locking the bolt head 44 in position. Inasmuch as thebolt head 44 is locked by,,the lug 46 adjacent the forward end thereof,the bolt head will be retained in position more effectively since theentire bolt 42 will not tend to compress when the cartridge is fired.The compression of the lug 46 and the locking lug 38 together with theassociated sleeve forms a much more rigid locking device, therebyeliminating the tendency of the bolt to compress during firing of therifle, thereby preventing escape of gases and resultant damage causedthereby.

The opening defined by edges 20 and 22 in the form of the inventionillustrated in Figures 1-8 also occurs in the device of Figure 9. Thelongitudinal slot 24 and notch 26 of Figures 1-8 become grooves 43 and45' in Figure 9.

The notch 26 assists in permitting ejection of cartridges inasmuch as aportion of the cartridge moves outwardly through the notch 26 due to theorientation of the extractor bore 50 in relation to the notch 26 whenthe bolt is retracted. The pin 54 received in the arcuate portionofright angular slot 52 limitsthe movement of sleeve 30 whereby lug 38will be automatically aligned with 0 slot 24 for longitudinal movementthereof.- The longitudinal portion of slot 52 permits disassembly of thesleeve 30 and bolt 42 when they are removed from the receiver, r

The foregoing'is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention.- Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A locking device for bolt action rifles comprising a tubular receiverhaving a forward ring and a rear bridge, 7

said receiver having an enlarged peripheral cartridge passage openingbetween the ring and bridge, said bridge having a longitudinal slotextending therethrough, said ring having a forwardly extending notchtherein with one edge of the notch forming a continuation of one edge ofthe opening, an elongated sleeve rotatably and slidably mounted in saidreceiver, a laterally projecting handle adjacent the rear of saidsleeve, an elongated longitudinal locking lug on said sleeve for slidingmovement in said slot in the bridge of the receiven'said locking lugbeing-substantially equal in length to the length of the opening forarcuate movement therein, a bolt mounted in said sleeve and having ahead projecting forwardly therefrom, a projecting lug on said bolt headfor sliding movement in said notch and opening, means interconnectingthe bolt and sleeve but permitting relative rotation and preventinglongitudinal movement therebetween, said interconnecting means includingan inwardly extending screw on said sleeve, said bolt having an arcuateslot receiving said screw to allow pivotal movement of the sleeve forselectively aligning the locking lug with the projecting lug on the bolthead and with the slot in said bridge of said receiver to permitlongitudinal movement of the sleeve and bolt, said notch beingsubstantially equal in length to the lug on the bolt head, said lug onthe bolt head being locked in said notch when the locking lug on saidsleeve is rotated into alignment therewith thereby preventinglongitudinal movement thereof, and said lug on said bolt headterminating at the forward end thereof whereby longitudinal movement ofthe bolt head is substantially eliminated when pressure is exerted onthe bolt head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,294,454 Hammond Feb. 18, 1919 2,490,922 Rutherford et a1 Dec. 13, 19492,648,153 Dicke Aug. 11, 1953 2,649,800 Peters Aug. 25, 1953

